Press Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2009

Contact: Peggy Hamill, State Director, (262) 796-1111, cell (414) 416-0489
Or Matt Sande, Director of Legislation, cell (262) 352-0890

UW talks out of both sides of its mouth on conscience rights

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) today published a letter sent to the UW Medical Foundation on behalf of several employees of the Madison Surgery Center (MSC). The employees are concerned they may be compelled to participate in the MSC’s late-term abortion plan. The letter questions a memo sent by Peter Christman of the UW Medical Foundation to all MSC employees, declaring that employees would be expected to assist in “emergencies resulting from” the late-term abortions.

The ADF points out that Christman’s declaration, if made a MSC policy, would violate both federal and state laws protecting the conscience rights of medical professionals, as well as contradict the public statements of the UW Hospital & Clinics. One UW statement insists, “No physicians, residents, students or staff will be required to participate in any aspect of this procedure if it is against their personal beliefs. Participation is strictly voluntary.” (emphasis added)

Peggy Hamill, State Director of Pro-Life Wisconsin, offered the following comments:

“The UW is talking out of both sides of its mouth when it comes to respecting the lawful conscience rights of its pro-life medical professionals. The MSC abortions are not emergencies – they are elective, planned and scheduled. But the late-term abortions do have serious risks. The UW seems to want to do these dangerous abortions without getting willing staff to protect mothers. Instead they are threatening to randomly yank in unwilling personnel to clean up their messes. It appears the MSC cannot find enough willing staff, or worse, they’re trying to cut costs.”

“The UWHC Authority Board’s public vote on February 4 to go forward with the MSC late-term abortion plan was made contingent upon providing enough willing staff to cover complications from an inherently dangerous surgical procedure. Now we find a UW employee skirting the Board’s directive. Put simply, the UW cannot be trusted in this entire matter. Their obfuscations and ambiguities are growing tiresome, and we call on them to abandon this inhuman endeavor once and for all.”

Click here to read the letter from the Alliance Defense Fund:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/090701_Abortion_Letter.pdf.

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